From left, Iran’s acting president Mohammad Mokhber, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian supreme leader, in talks after a funeral ceremony for late president Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran. EPA
From left, Iran’s acting president Mohammad Mokhber, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian supreme leader, in talks after a funeral ceremony for late president Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran. EPA
From left, Iran’s acting president Mohammad Mokhber, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian supreme leader, in talks after a funeral ceremony for late president Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran. EPA
From left, Iran’s acting president Mohammad Mokhber, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian supreme leader, in talks after a funeral ceremony for late president Ebrahim Raisi

World leaders and officials that attended Ebrahim Raisi's funeral


Nada AlTaher
  • English
  • Arabic

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's funeral was attended by thousands of Iranians and several high-ranking officials and dignitaries from around the world.

Mr Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and thousands joined processions in Tehran, before the burial in Mr Raisi's home city of Mashhad on Thursday.

Notably, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah was in attendance - his second visit to Tehran since a 2023 agreement between Riyadh and Tehran to re-establish ties.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim was seen with a delegation shaking hands and exchanging words with Iranian officials at the processions. Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was also present.

Sheikh Tamim offered condolences to Iran's interim president Mohammad Mokhber over the death of his predecessor Ebrahim Raisi. Photo: @IMO_Qatar / X
Sheikh Tamim offered condolences to Iran's interim president Mohammad Mokhber over the death of his predecessor Ebrahim Raisi. Photo: @IMO_Qatar / X

From the Gulf, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed led the UAE delegation that took part in an official mourning ceremony for Mr Raisi.

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al Yahya attended the funeral on behalf of Emir Sheikh Meshal, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said.

Tunisian President Kais Saied and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani were among regional leaders in attendance, as well as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Egypt has had no diplomatic relations with Iran since the 1979 revolution.

Tunisian President Kais Saied pays his respects to Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran. Photo: @TnPresidency / X
Tunisian President Kais Saied pays his respects to Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran. Photo: @TnPresidency / X

Russia, an ally of Iran since the 1990s, sent Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who was seen at the processions, although leaders from the West were absent. The two countries have developed stronger military ties since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Major Iran-backed armed groups also attended. Hamas's political head Ismail Haniyeh made it his first trip outside of Doha, where he lives, since the International Criminal Court requested an arrest warrant for alleged war crimes, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

During his attendance of the funeral processions, Mr Haniyeh, who has lost three of his sons in the war in Gaza, said he was present "on behalf of the Palestinian people" and "in the name of the resistance factions of Gaza", to offer his condolences.

Lebanon-based, Iran-backed group Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem was also at the funeral on Wednesday.

Mr Qassem was seen alongside Mr Haniyeh.

Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam Al Houthi was also present at the funeral. Both Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthis received the bulk of their support from Iran.

Other paramilitary groups, including elements of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces attended, represented by Faleh Al Fayadh, who is under US sanctions, as well as Mr Qassem.

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If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

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3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

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Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

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How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Afridi

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The specs

Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder

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Updated: May 23, 2024, 5:44 AM